The Spiritual Combat and A Treatise On Peace of Soul

The Spiritual Combat and A Treatise On Peace of Soul is a book written by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli in 1500s. He  was born in Italy in 1530 and died in Naples in 1610. We do not know much about the author's life. We know that at the age of 40 he joined the Theatines, a religious order of men founded in Italy, and ordained as a priest in 1577. For some unknown reason he was laicized  in 1585 and lived so till the end of his life. He never offered any defense of himself however it is also believed that his name was cleared at the end of his life. It is said that he met St Francis de Sales in Padua. They were either friends or acquaintances. Dom Lorenzo Scupoli gave a copy of his book The Spiritual Combat and A Treatise On Peace of Soul to St Francis de Sales and he read  this book everyday  and recommended it to everybody under his direction. 

The book is written in a very structured way, it will only take a page for you to be filled with the zeal not just to read the whole book but also to practice  the virtues that he mentions through out his book. This is one of the greatest classics in ascetic theology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascetical_theology). Having said that it is not a work that can only be read and understood by theologians or those who are specially interested in such subjects. This book though written in such an eloquent style can be read and understood by anyone who already has the basic understanding of Christianity. A recommendation for anyone to read also does not mean that it is an easy read. It requires time and contemplation and also an openness towards the guidance of the Holy Spirit to imbibe the lessons that are meant to improve our quality as  Christians. 

It will be a futile effort if I attempt to narrate the contents of the book or try to summaries it in this blog. I would rather mention the kind of topics that are in the book. The Book starts with the introduction on perfection and what does a Christian perfection means etc. He narrates and explains the invisible battle of the good and the evil, the battle between the desire of the soul to reach it's absolute end  that is union with God and the desires of the material body that hinder the achieving of the perfection of the soul. He does this narration of the battle, that we knowingly or unknowingly fight, without any dramatization of the good and the evil as we might expect from the title "Spiritual Combat". This book is not an over-dramatization of the demons and other evils spirits like we see in the Hollywood movies or read in fiction novels and the physical manifestations of resistance of the vices by the Good. You will not find the stories of the possessed and the exorcisms  in this book. 

This book is all about the virtues that we need to identify, develop and nourish in our daily life to counter attack all the vices that suppress, hide and hinder the growth and results of those virtues without which we will  unknowingly live in fool's paradise believing that we are marching towards the absolute goodness. How do we distrust ourselves ? How do we find confidence in God? Do we mistakenly take the lack of ability to be Holy as a virtue? How do we use our faculties properly? What are man's twofold nature? How we are to encounter sensuality? How do we prepare ourselves for the battle against vices? How do we curb our sudden impulses of passion? How do we fight against impurity? What we are to do when wounded? What are the cunning devices used by the devil to destroy us? How will we emerge victorious in this battle by the constant application of the virtues?  These are a very few topics or ideas that are covered in the book. 

We will also read and understand about mental prayer,meditation,intercession of the Blessed Virgin, spiritual communion,offering self to God, thanksgiving etc. At the end of the book, he dedicates few chapters , more precisely around fifteen chapters, for "Treatise on Peace of Soul and Inner Happiness".  I do not know if my description will do justice to this section of the book. The second and the last section is an advise and explanation on the state that we must put on in order to practice the virtues and obtain much fruits from them. How much care we need to exercise in practicing the virtues  and the necessity of applying the virtues to be at peace which is the sign of complete trust and confidence in God and the sign that our souls are free from the malice and the deception of this world.

In my honest opinion this book must be read by everybody. The spiritual advantages that can be obtained by the understanding we would develop from this work even if what is retained in our minds are just mere 10 percent of the whole book is immeasurable. We will grow more aware of the deep hidden meaning of every situation and understand the moral implications of every actions that we undertake vividly.We will also learn not to despair but to hope and to love. I pray and hope that this book will find a place in every Christian homes and will be read by many for the profit of the Holy Catholic Church and her mission to direct every soul to  their creator and lover, our Almighty God. 

†